Labour participation; young people

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Sex Age Formal Eduation Labour force and not in the labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployed labour force (x 1 000) Labour force Unemployment rate (%) Labour force Employed labour force Employed labour force (x 1 000) Not in the labour force (x 1 000) Gross labour participation rate (%) Net labour participation rate (%)
Total male and female 15 to 24 years Total 2,154 1,819 165 9.1 1,654 335 84.5 76.8
In formal education 1,598 1,319 129 9.7 1,190 280 82.5 74.5
Not in formal education 556 501 37 7.3 464 55 90.1 83.5
15 to 19 years Total 1,003 808 80 9.9 728 195 80.6 72.6
In formal education 912 733 75 10.2 658 179 80.3 72.2
Not in formal education 90 75 6 7.7 69 15 82.9 76.6
20 to 24 years Total 1,151 1,011 85 8.4 926 140 87.8 80.5
In formal education 686 586 54 9.2 532 100 85.4 77.5
Not in formal education 465 425 31 7.2 395 40 91.5 84.9
15 years Total 195 138 21 15.0 118 57 70.8 60.1
In formal education 192 136 20 15.0 116 56 70.9 60.2
Not in formal education 4 2 0 . 2 1 . .
16 years Total 198 160 21 13.0 139 38 80.8 70.3
In formal education 195 158 21 13.2 137 37 81.1 70.4
Not in formal education 3 2 0 . 2 1 . .
17 years Total 199 166 17 10.3 149 33 83.6 75.0
In formal education 189 158 16 10.4 141 31 83.6 74.9
Not in formal education 10 8 1 . 8 2 . .
18 years Total 200 169 11 6.4 158 32 84.2 78.9
In formal education 169 143 8 5.6 135 26 84.5 79.8
Not in formal education 31 26 3 . 23 5 82.5 73.9
19 years Total 210 175 11 6.3 164 36 83.1 77.9
In formal education 168 138 9 6.4 129 30 82.4 77.1
Not in formal education 42 36 2 5.6 34 6 85.9 81.0
20 years Total 220 186 18 9.4 169 34 84.7 76.8
In formal education 165 140 13 9.5 127 25 84.8 76.7
Not in formal education 54 46 4 9.0 42 8 84.6 77.0
21 years Total 228 200 15 7.5 185 28 87.6 81.1
In formal education 154 134 11 7.9 124 20 87.1 80.2
Not in formal education 74 65 4 6.5 61 8 88.7 83.0
22 years Total 234 205 17 8.2 189 28 88.0 80.8
In formal education 141 119 13 10.6 107 22 84.7 75.7
Not in formal education 93 86 4 4.8 82 7 92.9 88.4
23 years Total 232 208 16 7.7 192 24 89.7 82.8
In formal education 125 108 9 8.0 99 17 86.4 79.5
Not in formal education 107 100 8 7.5 93 7 93.6 86.6
24 years Total 238 212 19 9.1 192 26 88.9 80.8
In formal education 101 84 9 10.2 75 17 83.2 74.7
Not in formal education 137 128 11 8.4 117 9 93.1 85.3
Male 15 to 24 years Total 1,098 924 88 9.5 836 174 84.2 76.2
In formal education 803 654 69 10.6 585 149 81.4 72.8
Not in formal education 295 270 19 7.0 251 24 91.7 85.3
15 to 19 years Total 516 416 41 9.9 375 100 80.6 72.6
In formal education 463 370 38 10.1 333 93 79.9 71.8
Not in formal education 53 46 4 8.2 42 7 86.6 79.4
20 to 24 years Total 582 509 47 9.2 462 73 87.4 79.4
In formal education 340 284 32 11.1 252 56 83.5 74.3
Not in formal education 242 225 15 6.7 209 17 92.8 86.6
15 years Total 100 70 10 13.7 60 31 69.6 60.1
In formal education 98 68 9 13.8 59 30 69.3 59.8
Not in formal education 2 2 0 . 2 0 . .
16 years Total 102 81 11 13.0 71 21 79.5 69.2
In formal education 100 80 11 13.1 69 20 79.7 69.2
Not in formal education 2 1 0 . 1 1 . .
17 years Total 102 88 10 11.5 78 14 86.1 76.1
In formal education 97 83 10 11.7 73 14 85.7 75.6
Not in formal education 6 5 0 . 5 0 . .
18 years Total 104 88 6 6.6 82 16 84.7 79.2
In formal education 85 71 4 6.0 67 13 84.1 79.0
Not in formal education 19 17 2 . 15 2 . .
19 years Total 108 89 5 6.0 84 19 82.7 77.7
In formal education 84 68 4 5.4 65 15 81.7 77.2
Not in formal education 24 21 2 . 19 3 . .
20 years Total 112 96 10 10.6 86 16 85.8 76.7
In formal education 80 67 8 11.3 59 13 84.2 74.6
Not in formal education 32 29 3 . 26 3 89.9 81.9
21 years Total 115 99 7 7.4 92 16 86.3 79.9
In formal education 74 63 6 8.9 57 11 84.7 77.1
Not in formal education 41 36 2 4.8 34 4 89.2 84.9
22 years Total 118 101 9 8.6 92 17 85.6 78.2
In formal education 72 58 7 12.0 51 14 80.3 70.7
Not in formal education 46 43 2 4.0 42 3 93.6 89.9
23 years Total 117 105 10 9.6 95 12 89.9 81.3
In formal education 62 52 6 11.4 46 9 84.8 75.1
Not in formal education 55 53 4 7.7 49 2 95.6 88.3
24 years Total 120 107 10 9.7 97 13 89.3 80.6
In formal education 53 44 5 12.4 39 8 83.9 73.5
Not in formal education 67 63 5 7.9 58 4 93.5 86.1
Female 15 to 24 years Total 1,056 895 77 8.6 818 161 84.7 77.4
In formal education 795 664 59 8.9 605 131 83.6 76.1
Not in formal education 261 230 18 7.7 213 31 88.3 81.5
15 to 19 years Total 487 392 39 9.9 353 95 80.6 72.5
In formal education 449 363 37 10.2 326 86 80.8 72.5
Not in formal education 38 29 2 . 27 8 77.9 72.5
20 to 24 years Total 569 503 38 7.6 465 67 88.3 81.6
In formal education 346 302 22 7.4 279 44 87.2 80.7
Not in formal education 223 201 16 7.8 185 22 90.0 83.0
15 years Total 95 69 11 16.4 57 27 72.0 60.2
In formal education 94 68 11 16.2 57 26 72.5 60.7
Not in formal education 2 1 0 . 0 1 . .
16 years Total 96 79 10 13.0 69 17 82.2 71.5
In formal education 95 78 10 13.2 68 17 82.5 71.7
Not in formal education 1 1 0 . 1 1 . .
17 years Total 96 78 7 8.9 71 18 81.0 73.8
In formal education 92 75 7 9.0 68 17 81.4 74.1
Not in formal education 4 3 0 . 3 1 . .
18 years Total 97 81 5 6.1 76 16 83.7 78.5
In formal education 84 72 4 5.3 68 13 85.0 80.5
Not in formal education 12 9 1 . 8 3 . .
19 years Total 102 86 6 6.6 80 17 83.6 78.1
Source: CBS.
Explanation of symbols

Table explanation


This table contains quarterly and yearly figures on labour participation of young people in the Netherlands. The population of 15 to 24 years of age (excluding the institutionalized population) is divided into the employed labour force, the unemployed labour force and those not in the labour force. The employed labour force is subdivided on the basis of the professional status and the average working hours. A division by sex, age and whether they are in education is available.

Data available from: 2013

Status of the figures:
The figures in this table are final.

Changes as of November 13, 2025:
The figures for the 3rd quarter 2025 have been added.

Changes as of August 17, 2022:
None, this is a new table. This table has been compiled on the basis of the Labor Force Survey (LFS). Due to changes in the research design and the questionnaire of the LFS, the figures for 2021 are not automatically comparable with the figures up to and including 2020. The key figures in this table have therefore been made consistent with the (non-seasonally adjusted) figures in the table Arbeidsdeelname, kerncijfers seizoengecorrigeerd (see section 4), in which the outcomes for the period 2013-2020 have been recalculated to align with the outcomes from 2021. When further detailing the outcomes according to job and personal characteristics, there may nevertheless be differences from 2020 to 2021 as a result of the new method.

When will new figures be released?
New figures will be published in February 2025.

Description topics

Labour force and not in the labour force
People who are part of the employed labour force, the unemployed labour force or who are not in the labour force.

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Labour force
People
- who have paid work (employed labour force), or
- who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are directly available for it (unemployed labour force).

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Labour force
People
- who have paid work (employed labour force), or
- who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are directly available for it (unemployed labour force).

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Employed labour force
People who have paid work.

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Employed labour force
People who have paid work.

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Unemployed labour force
People who don’t have paid work, recently looked for work and are directly available for it.

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Unemployment rate
The unemployed labour force as a percentage of the (employed and unemployed) labour force.

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old.
Not in the labour force
People who don’t have paid work, who haven’t recently looked for work recently or are not directly available for it.

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old. Paid work is regardless of the hours worked.
Gross labour participation rate
The percentage of the (employed and unemployed) labour force in the population (labour force and not in the labour force).

This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old.
Net labour participation rate
The percentage of the employed labour force in the population (labour force and not in the labour force).
This definition concerns people who live in the Netherlands (excluding the institutionalized population). The figures are usually presented for the population aged 15 to 74 years old.